About Amber

At age 22, I began researching and writing what would become the novel TORN. My writing occurred during a chaotic period in my life and I was often forced to set aside writing time to tend to family and personal matters. It was 5 years before TORN was completed to my satisfaction. It went through too many stages to count, and to be honest, the end result was quite different than what was originally an 1100 page novel. After years of setting it aside, I finally revisited it and it was trimmed down to the 404 pages you now see. Then I waited another 9 years before I got the courage to publish it. Although TORN is closer to what I like to call “faction” than fiction, TORN draws upon experiences from my life as I observed and participated in the social dramas surrounding my friends lives and my past relationships.

A native of southern California, I love to write and illustrate every chance I get. I spend most of my days conversing with my cat, Mouse. As a former competitive gymnast and coach, I’m still an avid fan of the sport! I enjoy German culture and language, and while it’s no secret that I hold a special affinity for the LGBTQ community, I do also look forward to writing books in many different genres.

Book Reviews

RATING: "An easily captivating story of a young girl's beginning exploration into her personal identity, “Torn” reveals the painful unfolding of adolescence, the discovery of self, the process of transforming wishes into dreams, and the troubling matters of family, friendship, and intimate emotional relationships..."

The Rainbow Review

Review by PermaFrost

"5 STARS!: A radical shift in environment changes one's world. "Torn" is the story of Krista McKinley, a Catholic school student who is sent to a public high school by her family. As she finds new friends, her world and her values will still be roughly tested. "Torn" is an intriguing coming of age story that many teenagers will relate to."

Midwest Book Review

Oregon, WI USA

"WINNER - 2010 Next Generation Indie Book Awards - GLBT category, If a bisexual coming-of-age novel like Torn had been written when I was coming of age in the mid-1970s, it would have gone a long way toward helping me feel sane. In fact, if I could have read this book when I was 14 (the age at which we meet the book s protagonist, Krista McKinley), I probably would have become addicted to this book and carried it with me wherever I went;..."